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In several European countries, former NATO employees are being investigated for corruption after the alliance's procurement agency, NSPA, alerted American authorities, which led to indictments in the United States and judicial operations in Belgium and the Netherlands, writes the Brussels Time publication.
According to an investigation published on Monday by the websites Le Soir, Knack, La Lettre and the platform Follow the Money, former NATO personnel have become the target of anti-corruption investigations across Europe.
All the suspects have links to the defense sector, both public and private. Five of them previously worked or are still employed by the NATO Support and Acquisition Agency (NSPA).
NSPA reported its suspicions of fraud and misconduct to US authorities, prompting the involvement of the FBI, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).
In February and April of this year, US courts indicted two Greek nationals, Manousos Bailakis and Ioannis Gelasakis, who held positions in a company that provided services to military vessels. Two other weapons specialists were arrested and detained in May, but in July the US Department of Justice (DoJ) abruptly dropped all charges, lifting both arrest warrants.
Arrests in Belgium and the Netherlands
Meanwhile, investigations in Europe continue. In Belgium, a former NSPA demilitarization expert remains in custody, while several alleged accomplices have been detained. Other searches and arrests also took place in the Netherlands.
NATO said it “does not tolerate any form of fraud or corruption”, adding that it would not comment further to “avoid interfering with ongoing investigations”.
